A Wisconsin teenager has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the terrifying armed kidnapping of a 7-year-old boy who was snatched outside his Milwaukee home while desperately screaming for his father.
Barry Allen Coleman, now 15, received the sentence Friday, October 9, more than a year after prosecutors said he helped orchestrate a robbery plot that escalated into the kidnapping of Jamal White, who was held captive for approximately 24 hours while his family faced a $100,000 ransom demand.
The case shocked Milwaukee in July 2025, sparking an Amber Alert and a frantic search that ended when police rescued Jamal unharmed from a house across the city.
During Friday’s emotional sentencing hearing, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Borowski described Coleman’s actions as particularly disturbing, emphasizing that the teenager’s young age was a major reason he was not receiving a much longer prison sentence.
The kidnapping unfolded on July 11, 2025, as Jamal and his father returned home from a park near North 61st and West Hustis streets.
According to the criminal complaint, a white Jeep Renegade suddenly pulled into the driveway behind their vehicle, blocking their path. An armed man dressed in black emerged, prompting Jamal’s father to flee toward the house while his son ran toward the backyard.
But the gunman was not alone.
Investigators said surveillance footage showed Coleman, who was just 14 at the time, chasing the frightened child while carrying a handgun. He eventually caught Jamal, picked him up and carried him back to the waiting SUV.
From inside the house, Jamal’s father could hear his son repeatedly screaming for help.
The boy cried out for his daddy as the kidnappers forced him into the vehicle and sped away, leaving his family terrified about what might happen next.
What investigators uncovered afterward revealed that the child’s abduction had allegedly begun as an entirely different criminal scheme.
According to statements provided by one of the accused accomplices, the group originally planned to rob Jamal’s mother because they believed she regularly carried large amounts of money and drugs.
That allegation about the boy’s mother has not been independently established, but prosecutors said it was central to the suspects’ alleged motive.
When the mother did not arrive home as expected, the group reportedly shifted its attention to Jamal’s father. After he escaped into the house, investigators say Coleman decided to change the plan again, taking the child and demanding money for his safe return.
Authorities identified two other men allegedly involved in the scheme as Fabian Johnson and Corey Williams.
According to court documents, Johnson later contacted Jamal’s mother and demanded $100,000 in cash and jewelry in exchange for her son’s release.
The boy was taken to Williams’ residence, where investigators say the group held him overnight while attempting to secure the ransom.
During the ordeal, prosecutors alleged that Coleman and Johnson even discussed harming Jamal to convince his family that their threats were serious. Williams reportedly objected, and no such violence occurred.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee police launched an intensive search, distributing Jamal’s photograph and asking residents to report anything suspicious.
The case drew widespread attention throughout the city as officers followed leads and worked to locate the missing child.
Approximately 24 hours after his disappearance, investigators found Jamal at a home near North 39th and West Lloyd streets.
The boy was rescued without physical injuries, bringing an enormous sense of relief to his family and the community.
When investigators later spoke with Jamal, he described spending much of his captivity watching cartoons, playing with toys and eating McDonald’s.
Although he had escaped physical harm, authorities emphasized the seriousness of the trauma associated with being abducted at gunpoint and separated from his family.
As the investigation progressed, prosecutors identified Coleman as the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping.
Because of his age, the case initially proceeded through the juvenile justice system before moving to adult court, where he faced several serious charges.
In July 2026, Coleman pleaded guilty to robbery with use of force and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent.
As part of the agreement, prosecutors dismissed the kidnapping and an additional weapons charge, although those allegations were considered during sentencing.
The plea followed earlier negotiations in which Judge Borowski rejected a proposed agreement that would have reduced the case to a single robbery charge.
The judge questioned whether such an outcome adequately reflected the seriousness of taking a child at gunpoint, prompting prosecutors and defense attorneys to return with a revised agreement.
At Friday’s sentencing hearing, Coleman apologized to Jamal and his family, acknowledging the terror he had caused.
“I am the only person responsible for my actions,” he told the court.
Coleman also admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong when he took the boy away from his family.
“I took him away as he was yelling for me not to take him away from his family,” he said. “I knew it was wrong then, and I know it was wrong now.”
His defense attorneys urged the judge to consider his age, troubled upbringing and potential for rehabilitation.
Coleman also spoke about the influence of older individuals in his life and his involvement with drugs before the kidnapping, although he acknowledged that those circumstances did not excuse his conduct.
Judge Borowski ultimately imposed 10 years of initial confinement followed by seven years of extended supervision.
Coleman will receive credit for 451 days already spent in custody.
The judge explained that the teenager’s age weighed heavily in the sentencing decision, even though the crime itself could have justified a considerably longer punishment.
“Your offense was so aggravated and so heinous it managed to shock this community,” Borowski said.
He made clear that taking a young child from his family at gunpoint was an extraordinarily serious offense, regardless of whether the victim was ultimately rescued unharmed.
The sentence also reflects Wisconsin’s system of extended supervision, which requires offenders to comply with court-ordered conditions after serving their initial prison term. Violations can result in additional consequences, including a return to confinement.
Coleman’s case is one of several criminal proceedings stemming from the kidnapping. Johnson and Williams have also been charged, although their cases had not been resolved as of the latest reporting.
For Jamal’s family, the sentencing marks another step toward accountability after an experience that terrified an entire community.
